DECISION EXPECTED SOON SAUGUS ATHLETES CHOOSING BETWEEN STANFORD, TENNESSEE.

Byline: GERRY GITTELSON Community News

Saugus High softball standout Tiffany Huff, one of California's top college recruits, is expected to choose between Stanford and Tennessee very soon, said her mother, Tairi Huff.

Huff took official weekend recruiting visits to both universities in the past month.

``Tiffany likes both. We're comparing and discussing the situation as a family,'' Tairi said. ``She came home from Stanford last weekend with everything fresh in her mind. We said we'd wait at least three days.''

Huff, a catcher/infielder, batted .460 with six home runs and 31 RBI as a junior last spring as Saugus reached the Southern Section Div. I semifinals.

--In other recruiting news, Hart High shortstop Matt Valaika is closing in on a Division I baseball scholarship. He took an official visit to Gonzaga two weeks ago, and he's scheduled to visit UC Santa Barbara this weekend.

``Matt has some options, and he's kind of checking all the offers,'' Hart coach Jim Ozella said.

As a junior, Valaika batted .366 with seven doubles, 12 RBI and 23 runs in 25 games.

UC Santa Barbara would seem a good fit. His brother, Chris, is a returning shortstop for the Gauchos.

Canyon High outfielder Johnny Hay has received some interest. UC Irvine and Loyola Marymount have made contact but haven't tendered offers.

--Hart football quarterback Tyler Lyon, recovering from a concussion, is doubtful for Friday night's televised nonleague showdown against perennial power Loyola of Los Angeles at College of the Canyons.

Lyon has missed nearly two full games because of injuries.

``He's going to be OK, but it's been a rough first half of the season,'' said his father, Chuck Lyon. ``But that's football.''

--Former Hart football standout Bubba Hetman, one of the Foothill League's top linebackers in 2003 and 2004, has joined the Navy and is scheduled to leave Dec. 7 - Pearl Harbor Day.

``I thought about playing college football but just didn't feel like it. I pretty much wanted to do something new,'' Hetman said. ``Hopefully, I'll end up (at the Naval Training Center) in San Diego, and eventually I want to do search and rescue.''

--Former College of the Canyons football standout Tyrell Smith is making quite an impact in his first season at Division II Minnesota State.

Smith, an JC All-American receiver at Canyons who signed with San Diego State but didn't meet NCAA Division I academic requirements, has 35 receptions for 505 yards and four touchdowns. He also leads the team with a punt return average of 11.5 yards (including a school-record 88-yard touchdown), and he's rushed for 90 yards, too.

Smith is one of several locals at Minnesota State. The roster includes former Canyons teammates Jason Thompkins (kicker) and Zach Verdin on the offensive line, along with defensive end Steve Porter (North Hollywood High/Glendale College) and offensive lineman Sarkis Bedoyan (Glendale High).

--Basil Reale, a former Golden Valley High assistant baseball coach, has joined the staff at Valencia High. Vikings coach Jared Snyder is searching for a new JV coach to replace Chris Egger, who is stepping down to devote more time to college.

--Give Saugus High's football team a moral victory after losing Friday to three-time Div. III champion Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks 21-7 in a game that was much closer than expected.

``We had opportunities. We just ran out of time,'' Centurions coach Jason Bornn said. ``I think our kids now understand what we need to do to compete against top-program teams. The scoreboard might not have reflected it, but we walked away feeling pretty good about ourselves. I don't think there was one kid on our team that didn't feel he gave everything he had. That's a huge positive.''

--Ever notice the sports section is always missing from an abandoned newspaper?